Following on from Cogenhoe CC first teams 1 wicket win last week at table topping Carrib, this week it was time for the cooks to take on second place Thrapston 2nds at Compton Park. Thrapston won the toss and asked Cogenhoe to have a bat. Openers Dan and Gareth got off to a solid start being watchful against the youthful Thrapston opening bowlers. This partnership was broken when Dan holed out to mid-on. Gareth’s luck then turned from good to bad as he was dropped twice in two balls, only for a mix up after the second drop that lead to him being run out. Cogenhoe then wobbled through the rest of the innings losing wickets at regular intervals. However they dug deep to make sure they didn’t collapse and managed to eke out runs throughout their 45 overs on a tough to score on wicket. Finishing on 116 all out in the 45th over. Henry (21) and James (21) being the biggest contributors with the bat, E. Xtras top scoring with 27.
As both teams were about to tuck in to tea the heavens opened in a 5 minute deluge that threatened to call of the rest of the game, as the covers couldn’t be put on before the weather had done its worst. A long wait then ensued for the square to dry out, despite the fire in the sky above Cogenhoe this took considerable time, and meant when play resumed Thrapston would have just 22overs to reach their target.
Cogenhoe knew that early wickets would prove vital in A) Stopping Thrapston getting the runs they required and B) giving them any chance of bowling Thrapston out for an improbable win. Dan opened from what could have been called the Deep End, struggled with his footing as Thrapston looked to push hard early on to get the Runs. Opening from the Shallow End was Tom “Smokey” Robinson a product of Cogenhoes youth structure who was making his first team debut. Tom managed to gain sufficient grip at the drier shallow end to hit a good length consistently, despite a couple of big shots from Thrapstons openers. Smokey on the Water kept his nerve continuing to bowl a good length that was rewarded when Jack Harris (Cousin of Dan) also making his first team debut effortlessly held on to a catch that seemed to hang in the air for an age.
Despite an early wicket Thrapston were motoring towards their target and whilst keen to make the most of every scoring opportunity they took on one to many when trying to scamper a second to Ryan Knight (Son of Paul) who with everyone screaming at him to throw to the bowlers end (which would have been the wrong end), managed a wonderful pick up and throw to the keepers end where Teffers had plenty of time to whip the bails off, getting rid of the 2nd big hitting opener.
The pace of the game then changed, quite literally, when quick and quicker, or MattMo and Nick as they’re also known entered the attack. They combined to bowl a tight and nagging spell consisting of 11 Overs 1 Maiden 4 wickets for 32 runs. With the speed being clocked at 99 mph!!!…….. well 1.5mph per ball!.
This meant Cogenhoe would finish with a Winning Draw (Thrapston finished 25 runs short of the target but Cogenhoe failed to bowl them out).